SHOPKEEPER: ANTISOCIAL // 11.3

For over 17 years, Antisocial Skateboard Shop in Vancouver has been many things to many people. Firstly, of course, it’s a place to get all things skateboard-related, from pivot cups to fresh decks. There’s always been a tastefully curated offering of clothing and shoes, from dependable classics to the new and intriguing. But these are of course things that any skateshop worth its salt should always have available. What sets Antisocial apart is everything else it offers and facilitates: books, ‘zines, and record shopping; flower and produce purchases; a PO Box for super pals; a spot to enjoy a coffee and Budgies’ burrito; a place to float through a stream of conversations; a place to see musical performances of just about any kind; a spot to host a skate video premiere; a home for a local craft fair; an art gallery; a meeting place for the skateboard coalition; a place to borrow a tool; to place for a tourist to get directions to parks and spots; a place to meet a friend. It’s been both a wedding and a memorial venue. You can buy a jar of honey there, and more often than not, you can pet a dog there.

So what’s the glue that holds all this together? The heart that never stops pumping, no matter how much is going on, or how tough things get? The common thread that never breaks, but continues to bring more threads together, creating and sustaining the web we call a community? Michelle Pezel. Thank you, Michelle. We love you. — Jeff Thorburn